In direct answer to the question: Not really.

Different types of battery will give slightly different recharge rates (Lithium being a bit faster - according to the manual).
However, you won't get much faster than a 4 second recharge.

The new AF540FGZ is more powerful, but still has the same recharge rate. However, it does include a 330v power pack socket for faster recharge (I believe)... but the power pack hasn't been released yet.


And taking up the point that's been raised - you are much better off shooting an event WITHOUT flash. Definitely. Absolutely.

Use a monopod and as fast a lens as you have, and up the ISO rating to 800 or 1600 (depending on the ambient light). I use a 100mm/f2.8 lens or a 50mm/f1.4 for events

Hope that helps,
Matt

You're getting there
...don't forget the message above your colour image - we posted at the same time! (Big hints on B&W conversion and PSE)
Matt

You can sort out lighting this way:
* Add a new layer
* Change the blend mode to "Multiply" (that will darken things)
* Pick the Gradient tool
- Choose the gradient "Foreground to transparent"
- Set the opacity to 10% or 20%
- Set black as the foreground colour
- Pick the linear gradient
* Now carefully brush from the top down at the angle of the highlight

Other blend modes can be used:
* Soft-Light - useful for gentle dodging & burning. Black will darken, White will lighten
* Overlay - as above, but more intense.

And you can do this with Elements too
Matt

Actually, PSE4 is pretty excellent at B&W conversions too... if you know how to leverage it

Yes, CS2 is seriously good, but I would encourage you to learn with PSE4 first...

Try this:
* Add a new adjustment layer - Hue/Saturation - set Saturation to -100
* Change the layer blend mode to "Color"

This is mind-blowingly simple. When you have "Normal" blend mode the B&W conversion is performed with each colour having the same "weight" in greyscales. But this isn't how the eye sees it. Changing the blend mode to "Color" will switch to almost Lab mode and provide a visually correct version where yellows appear brighter than blues in the B&W.



Try this (known as Russell Brown's B&W technique):
* Add a new adjustment layer - Hue/Saturation (leave values as-is)
* Set the layer blend mode to "Color"
* Add another adjustment layer - Hue/Saturation - set Saturation to -100

Now you've got black and white... but... double click the middle layer and tweak the "Hue". This has the effect of a filter with B&W film You can also, amazingly, select the range from within this to adjust just one colour range.


Of course, you can blend the two techniques. And you can still add a gradient layer on top!

For Elements I can recommend www.hiddenelements.com - theres some plugins for PSE that extend its abilities, such as opening up Curves, Layer Masks and some other goodies. Just checked - and there's a download that adds Channel Mixer, Layer Masks, Color Separation etc etc. Not bad for $15. And the book is where I learnt most of my "Photoshop hackery" from

Have fun!!
Matt

Thanks George
Niblue - let me know if you get stuck anywhere...

Give me a chance George! LOL!
http://upload.pbase.com/image/61080894
(Did tweak the curves a little bit more too)




Oh yeah, add grain and diffuse glow to taste...

Matt

Probably working

Had a quick hack at this
Here's my take:
* Channel mixer: mono, Red+50, Green+40, Blue+10
* Added a curve layer, In136, Out64. Then used gradient tool to mask all but the clouds (so only the clouds were darkened)
* Selective Color layer: Whites=Black-46, Neutrals=Black-2, Blacks=Black+0

Pretty much it.

BUT: A nice tip from me
* Add a solid color layer on top, bright red. Layer/LayerStyle/BlendingOptions - where you see "Blend If", pull the black triangle of "Underlying Layer" up to 253 (ie nearly all the way to the right)
* Add a solid color layer on top, bright blue. Layer/LayerStyle/BlendingOptions - adjust WHITE triangle of the "Underlying Layer" to 2 (nearly all the way to the left)

Now - group the two layers in a set if you want. The RED layer is your BLOWN HIGHLIGHTS, and the BLUE layer is your LOST SHADOWS.

Keep those two layers on top while you adjust the B&W conversion so at least you know what you're missing

Oh yes, and a final ZONE SYSTEM tip:
* Add Gradient Map on top, pick "Gray Value Stripes"
* Check you can still see the detailing in the B&W (adjust curves underneath if needed)
* Turn off the layer when you're happy

- that little trick shows whether you are getting the best detail out of your B&W.

EDIT: Image here: http://upload.pbase.com/image/61080894

Hope that helps!!!
Matt

There's probably not a great deal of difference between the Sigma 10-20 and the Pentax 12-24 - in terms of sharpness.

But sharpness isn't the only criteria for a lens. What I can say is that the flare resistance of the Pentax 12-24 is almost unbelievable I've been extremely pleased with the results so far.
(But then it wasn't 200% the price, but 150% from Germany )

And then, the DA 16-45 is most definitely sharper than the 12-24. I only have praise for the 16-45

Matt

No problem
Glad to help.
Matt

I seem to remember that there are some issues in the Windows libraries. Nikon users have had EXIF data ripped out, and images corrupted when rotating under the Windows tools.

My suggestion - leave Windows tools well alone!! If you have Photoshop - use that first. If you shoot JPG then IrfanView can do a completely lossless rotate.

Most rotates on a JPG will decode to BMP-style then re-encode as JPG - losing heaps of quality in the process!! Irfanview has a separate and special menu item to losslessly rotate - but it touches the original file to do it.

Some other rotates don't actually rotate at all - they just set the rotation attribute in the EXIF data

But - personally I always leave the original files alone. Normally they are RAW. I process from the RAW into TIFF or JPG, stored in a "Develops" subdirectory, and from there I work with them in PS and resave to a "Processed" directory (saving the layered PSD file and the flattened, resized output JPG).

Matt